The 29th Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade Was Spooktacular!

Halloween dog parades, where pooches get to strut around in fun costumes, are a fairly common occurrence during this time of the year. However, very few compare to New York City's Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, the largest and most popular gathering of its kind. The annual event attracts over 300 pooches and their proud owners, who often dress in coordinated outfits to help their furry, four-legged friends win the coveted Best in Show title.

Now celebrating its 29th year, the 2019 competition took place at the East River Park Amphitheater on Sunday, October 20. Hundreds of New Yorkers braved the gloomy weather and light rain to admire the pooches masquerading as politicians, celebrities, fictional book and movie characters, popular foods, and even other animals. Among the most notable were two pooches dressed as Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. Their owners joined in the fun by dressing up as popular muppets, Bert and Ernie.

A four-legged "Snoop Dogg" also made an appearance, complete with the namesake American rapper's iconic gold chain, bandana, and sunglasses. An innocent-looking pooch dressed as Little Red Riding Hood had a fierce "Big Bad Wolf" in tow, while "Toto" was accompanied by his human Wizard of Oz family. A Doberman pinscher "skeleton" and an adorable beagle mix "Jack the Nipper" added to the Halloween spookiness.

The prestigious 2019 Best of Show title, which came with a $500 gift card to Petco, went to two Yorkshire Terriers dressed as the protagonists from Charles Schulz's bestselling graphic novel Snoopy and the Red Baron. The elaborate costume included a doghouse and a model World War I biplane, which took the owner over a month to build.

A Jack Russell Terrier dressed as a bowl of ramen and his "chef" owner were awarded second place and a $250 gift card to Petco, while a pooch and its owners, portraying characters from the 2019 folk horror movie Midsommar, placed third. Regardless of whether or not they won, the pooches and their owners all had a great time showing off their costumes to the cheering crowds.

Do you plan to dress up your furry four-legged friend this Halloween? If so, be sure to let us know what he/she is going as, by adding your comments below.

Have a Spooktacular Halloween!